Question:easy

A column transmits a load of \(225\ \text{kN}\) to a square footing. The safe bearing capacity of the soil is \(100\ \text{kN/m}^2\). The minimum length (in m) of the side of this safe square footing is (rounded off to one decimal place).

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Find the footing area from load divided by safe bearing capacity, then take the square root to get the side of a square footing.
Updated On: Aug 6, 2026
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Correct Answer: 1.5

Solution and Explanation

A footing's size is fixed by one simple rule: the pressure it puts on the soil must not go over the soil's safe bearing capacity. Let's use that rule directly instead of jumping straight to a formula.

The column brings down a load of $225\ \text{kN}$. The soil under the footing can only carry $100\ \text{kN}$ on every square metre of contact area. So the footing needs at least enough base area that spreading $225\ \text{kN}$ over it works out to no more than $100\ \text{kN/m}^2$.

Required area:

\[ A = \frac{225}{100} = 2.25\ \text{m}^2 \]

Since the footing is square, both sides are equal; call the side $L$. Then $L \times L = 2.25$, so:

\[ L = \sqrt{2.25} = 1.5\ \text{m} \]

Check: a $1.5\ \text{m} \times 1.5\ \text{m}$ footing has an area of $1.5 \times 1.5 = 2.25\ \text{m}^2$, and the pressure it would feel is $225 / 2.25 = 100\ \text{kN/m}^2$, exactly equal to the soil's safe limit, not more. So this side length is the minimum size that keeps the footing safe.

So the minimum side length of the square footing is 1.5 m.

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